All the lists

Time Management and my life:

• I'm not very good at it!
• It helps me to timetable planned activities
• I've found limiting/timing myself helps keep to a schedule
• I spend a lot of time procrasti-cleaning.
• Procrastination is dangerous but I'm really good at it.
• It's okay to take breaks from work, I don't have to feel guilty every time I'm not working.
• Though I should sometimes, I need to plan more hours working at home.
• It helped to write the amount of things to do/aim for. Such as 3x media tests or 4x blog catch up by Wednesday.
• Blogging became easier when I planned it into my day rather than putting it off. I found dedicating a whole day to catch up helped compartmentalise my brain.
• I need to plan my week, every week, around timetabled sessions and work.

Me as a Practitioner:

• I spend a lot of time worrying instead of doing.
• From the Bigheads talk I realised its Okay to not like drawing all the time.
• I'm beginning to enjoy making images after a year of not doing.
• I like making my work more textured, I've rediscovered embroidery - Something I'd like to pursue.
• A finished piece doesn't need to be outlined in pen to be neat and final. 
• Experimenting with media really does help, something I've opened myself up to in the last brief.
• Anxiety stops me from being able to start things, I've found that once I begin i'm fine.
• I find I leave things until the last minute causing unnecessary stress but I work better this way too. I'm going to make myself go grey.
• Ignoring things until they go away doesn't work, but managing my time better makes things easier.
• I've missed working in media other than pen.

5 Things to improve my Time Management:

• Try to timetable each week - especially important closer to deadlines.
• Prioritise 'To Do' lists.
• Keep all time planning/lists in one place. NOT on scrappy pieces of paper.
• Write 'To Do' lists organised by module and section such as blogging or sketchbook work.
• Write the amount of each task such as: 5 A3 development sheets

5 Successes:

• Working in different media has helped get back into making work.
• After struggling with this OUIL405 in the beginning I managed to get back on track with it.
• Drawing and redrawing the same image to refine it makes it stronger, it also helps to tighten compositions.
• Drawing a rough skeleton first before drawing the rest of the body helps achieve more accurate proportions. (seriously why have i only just discovered this)
• I found a solution to my mess of ideas eventually and have managed to stick to it after a lot of flitting.

5 Things that didn't go to plan:

• My brain.
• Working in pen, it feels very soulless at the minute
• Finishing all my finals in a weekend. I'm an idiot.
• Catching up over christmas, I had the best laid plans!
• Being a superstar time planner, i've improved slightly but not enough.
• Research and write my COP essay, I was too nervous to start.
• Coming into Uni every day and not sticking my head in the sand.

5 Things I want to revisit/do more of:

• Use different media and develop them.
• Try sewing/making more textured work.
• Listen when people tell me what's good for me, such as redrawing things!
• Indesign: I need to learn the basics because it still confuses me, the same for Illustrator.
• Making images, I want to fall back in love with it!

OUIL405 - End of Module Evaluation

I have learnt that research really does help organise your ideas, without strong research I began getting lost and metaphorically treading water. I find it hard when this happens but by writing lists and visualising how my book might look helped me get back on track. I think this is a good way to manage this when previously I haven’t been able to get my head back into it, leading to weak final pieces and little development.

I think I have developed my use of pencil. When I first started the course I was incredibly set on only drawing in pen because I felt that was all I was good at. As I’ve opened my brain a bit more I’ve realised that using different media is changing my practice for the better, as well as making me more versatile as an illustrator, it also FEELS REALLY GOOD TO ENJOY MAKING IMAGES. I’ve also developed a better understanding of form and anatomy (roughly). I was told to try roughly draw the skeleton first to make sure everything looked more natural. I can’t even explain how much stronger this made my images, rather than arms that are too long or legs bent slightly wrong, my sketches actually began to make sense.

I think my strengths are in composition, as I usually work out compositions in Photoshop first I have developed an understanding that allows me to work out what would be best. Although they don’t always work I feel I’m good at adapting them to make stronger images. Areas I need to develop however is my development work. Even though I'm trying not to stick to one idea and sketch more I still find myself not exploring other possibilities well. Possibly in the next brief I will try focus less on the final piece (put it on the back burner) and really try develop my concept work and try exercises to make me think and explore alternative ideas more.

Five things I will do differently:

• Keep up to date with blogging (something I have done better in this module than OUIL403 but I could definitely be better at it)
• Attend life drawing classes, I found I need to develop my understand of different poses, I'm ok at drawing stationary figures but not much else!
• Get myself into the illustration mindset and try not let personal issues and my ridiculous brain get in the way of the course. Leave my baggage at the door so to speak.
• Develop my concepts more to make my work stronger, explore more possibilities. Try stick to grids and force myself to fill the paper.
• Continue to develop my exploration of media, I want to try sewing or embroidered illustration in the next project.

6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’)  5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor
	1	2	3	4	5
Attendance			/
Punctuality				/
Motivation			/
Commitment			/
Quantity of work produced				/
Quality of work produced				/
Contribution to the group				/
The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self-evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.

5 Academic New Years Resolutions

• Write a weekly plan/timetable for good time management.
• Keep up with websites/magazines to help influence my practice and make me aware of all the stuff and things going on.
• Blog as I go! Literally cannot stress this enough.
• Read more books to widen my mind, read more Ginsberg, Hemingway and all the other books on my 'To Read' list to make myself super smart.
• Do study tasks as we are given them so it stays fresh in my mind.
• Catch up! Catch up! Catch up!